2010 Applicants Top 5 Fears/ Worries

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hamsterpants said:
Just to stop these from rattling around in my head for a minute.

Here are my top 5 concerns about this whole process:

1. Finances. Affording the cost of applying. Affording travel to interviews (hopefully). Affording grad school.

2. Alienating everyone with my crazy schedule and unavailability and ending up with no friends. I have already lost one.

3. Gaining more weight. I'm not sure if I have put on any pounds since I do not weigh myself. but my body fat % has definitely increased. I have no time or inclination to exercise right now, can't afford the gym, am eating worse and developed a nasty wine and cheese habit to deal w/ the stress. Most of my clothes are tight now and I can't afford more.

4. Not getting any acceptances (or even interviews) after all this effort and cost.

5. Getting in! I have been doing the full time daily grind for 13 years now with little interruption. I have been at my current job for 7 years and in the Bay Area since 1992. Going to grad school will likely mean moving someplace I have never been and know no one (and the weather will be more extreme). So big changes. Also, will I hate it? Can I hack it? and after all the blood, sweat and tears will I be able to find any kind of job?

Please feel free to share yours.
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I like #5. I've never thought about that before.

My worries 1-5 are your #4. Wasting all my effort and getting a broken heart if I don't get in anywhere.
 
I hate to say this, but the app process isn't nearly as stressful as grad school itself. :/
 
for #1, 4, & 5, I was there last year and wish you luck.

now, i realize you might just be venting - but if you are really losing touch with friends and having trouble sticking to work out habits and good eating habits, i cannot stress to you enough to make changes NOW, even in the midst of stressful applications - make time for your friends, make time to eat and work out and sleep - and do it consistently. because bad habits die hard and as cara susanna said, grad school is a much bigger time suck and headache than applying (although applying was probably slightly more anxiety-provoking).

good luck!
 
researchgirl said:
for #1, 4, & 5, I was there last year and wish you luck.

now, i realize you might just be venting - but if you are really losing touch with friends and having trouble sticking to work out habits and good eating habits, i cannot stress to you enough to make changes NOW, even in the midst of stressful applications - make time for your friends, make time to eat and work out and sleep - and do it consistently. because bad habits die hard and as cara susanna said, grad school is a much bigger time suck and headache than applying (although applying was probably slightly more anxiety-provoking).

good luck!
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Thank you! Yeah I am mostly just venting - pms 😉 . This fall is particularly bad as I am working full time at a relatively demanding job, taking evening classes, volunteering, and applying. So after December, I am going back to the gym and a much more normal schedule. But you are right, I need to make this more of a priority. at least my sleep has been good.

The friend I lost is a long story and actually it has to do more with her than my schedule so that was a bit of an exaggeration 😉

I am sure grad school is way more stressful but it will be nice to be super busy at one thing rather than pulled in all these different directions i.e. work.
 
Regarding #3......

I have found working out to be a great source of respite and a great stress reliever while in grad school. Neuropsych is a pretty sedentary job ya know. I am happy to say I am in better shape now than when I entered 4 years ago. In fact, Im startng to get downright "buff" as of late....:laugh: We gladly pay the 38/month for it........
 
4 and I for me. I'm not worried about weight gain so much as I tend to lose weight when I'm very busy, as I have no time to eat. As for 2, most clinical grad students I know still seem to have enough time for friends/social life. I'll miss my sorority, though--over the past two years, I've often thought that they've kept me "grounded" as a well-rounded person.
 
I feel all of these fears myself. Since I'm currently applying, most of them are concentrated on #4. I've been working on this process since March of this year (possibly even earlier depending on how you look at it). I'm handling the stress of the applications themselves pretty well but the anxiety about getting in is quite overwhelming. I have put everything I have into applying this year. I cannot imagine doing this again. I would, however, do it because this is what I want for my career and my life, but it is an inordinant amount of work to not achieve any gains. It is also exciting in the prospect of starting my career and exploring a new city etc... but the anxiety seems to be the predominant emotion.

The other fears, 1-3 and 5, I'm sure will take precedence once I've finished my applications and the interviews start.

Good luck to everyone!
 
One word: finances.

This process is really putting a burden on me. The best I can do is hope that somehow an acceptance comes of it, because otherwise I will have paid a thousand or more dollars for the privilege of being rejected.
 
#5 surprised me too, pretty sure it is a function of age. At 24, I moved overseas to a country where I knew no one, with only about $1K and a 6 month work permit (and no job). I stayed for a year and did not want to leave. but now I am a crazy old cat lady 😉! I think if I were younger I would be excited to move anywhere.

Also, I think it is a cover up for the potential heartbreak of #4. Not getting in would be SO much worse. I have been working on this for three years. I'm not 100% sure of my backup plan- do I stay in my familiar but boring job (probably in this economy), do I seek out a paid RA position or do I give up at the ripe old age of 35 and find something else?
 
hamsterpants said:
Just to stop these from rattling around in my head for a minute.

Here are my top 5 concerns about this whole process:

1. Finances. Affording the cost of applying. Affording travel to interviews (hopefully). Affording grad school.

2. Alienating everyone with my crazy schedule and unavailability and ending up with no friends. I have already lost one.

3. Gaining more weight. I'm not sure if I have put on any pounds since I do not weigh myself. but my body fat % has definitely increased. I have no time or inclination to exercise right now, can't afford the gym, am eating worse and developed a nasty wine and cheese habit to deal w/ the stress. Most of my clothes are tight now and I can't afford more.

4. Not getting any acceptances (or even interviews) after all this effort and cost.

5. Getting in! I have been doing the full time daily grind for 13 years now with little interruption. I have been at my current job for 7 years and in the Bay Area since 1992. Going to grad school will likely mean moving someplace I have never been and know no one (and the weather will be more extreme). So big changes. Also, will I hate it? Can I hack it? and after all the blood, sweat and tears will I be able to find any kind of job?

Please feel free to share yours.
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#2 was a problem at first, but I gave in to facebook and stayed in touch that way. I used my time in the car to call people (Bluetooth is a must!), and I made sure to find a few days around the important holidays for my family.

#3. It can go up and down, as my "free time" didn't match up with being near a gym. Exercise can be a big stress reliever, so keep at it. I used to run down to the beach and run, which helped.

#5. This was scary, because I was out working, and I was leaving security, good friends, and moving to a place where I knew 1 person. I upgraded for weather, but now on internship I definitely downgraded....doh!
 
If it helps for those concerned about social lives, my social life is actually a lot better now than it was in undergrad. Probably because I met a bunch of people just as nerdy as I am. 😉
 
my biggest concern is definitely money. can i deal with being a starving grad student again? how many loans will i have to take out? definitely nerve-wracking.
 
Here are mine:

1. Overlapping with my fiance (he is applying to law schools at the same time and we would like to get into schools that are no more than 2 hours apart -- we are each applying to twice as many schools as we would normally, and are both willing to sacrifice and not take our top picks if that is what it comes down to, and thank buddha there are tons of law schools).

2. Money. Applying to twice as many schools as I normally would is a bit of a financial downer, but fortunately we saved for this and were prepared.

3. Getting interviews and acceptances.

4. Gaining weight -- I agree with you on this one. I will start going back to the gym once my apps are all done (almost there)!

5. Timing -- there is a lot of change coming up -- I will be hearing from schools, my fiance will be hearing from schools, our lease will be ending (and our clandestine kitty will need to stay with my parents when the landlord shows the apartment to new people), we will be ending our jobs, getting a new apartment, and moving. I hope the timing of each of these things works nicely, or at least decently well.

I'm not too worried about moving someplace new. I'm really excited about it, actually. I have never lived outside of New England. I will be sad to be further from my family, but I'm ready for a new adventure. Also, the social life thing doesn't bother me a whole lot. I've always been someone who would rather have just a couple of very good friends, and I always need my alone time anyway (and I have gotten plenty of it during the application process!).
 
I was worried about the weight gain thing too, but I actually find myself eating BETTER than I did before grad school because I can't afford to eat out as much as I used to and generally cook for myself and pack my own lunches in the morning.

And I just got back from the gym. It's definitely something that has fallen to the bottom of the priority list but I'm trying to move it back up 🙂
 
Wow, everyone's talking about not having a life during app season and in grad school. Maybe I don't do enough work....
 
Therapist4Chnge said:
1st year: life
2nd year: less/no life
3rd year: no life
4th year: less life
5th year: more life
6th year: Life! (internship)
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Whoa, you had a life in 1st year?! I'm in 1st year and definitely have no time for a life. I'm helping out on projects in 3 labs, balancing an insane amount of coursework, trying to get started on my thesis, and doing intake shifts in the clinic. I thought I had it tough last year before school started when I was working 2 jobs and doing all my apps. Boy was I wrong!
 
psychgirl77 said:
Whoa, you had a life in 1st year?! I'm in 1st year and definitely have no time for a life. I'm helping out on projects in 3 labs, balancing an insane amount of coursework, trying to get started on my thesis, and doing intake shifts in the clinic. I thought I had it tough last year before school started when I was working 2 jobs and doing all my apps. Boy was I wrong!
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It didn't "feel" like I had a life during my 1st year, but I had more time compared to the 2nd, 3rd, etc. In retrospect, my first semester was BRUTAL....but then my 2nd semester was more manageable, but still busy. By then I was able to take Sundays mostly off.
 
First year here is brutal, or so they tell me. I hope this is the worst of it, but who knows.
 
Therapist4Chnge said:
1st year: life
2nd year: less/no life
3rd year: no life
4th year: less life
5th year: more life
6th year: Life! (internship)
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5th year...internship applications
dissertation proposal
comp exams
6th year...working more clinical hours than you can even imagine.
finishing dissertation
moving
post docs apps
7th year...studying for EPPP
getting ready for job
figuring out where you as a person went...and who you really are anymore
8th year....starting to pay back student loans
working extra jobs to pay said loans
etc.
etc.


Trust me, it never stops. Like I mentioned to someone a few days ago. Do not going into psychology unless there is nothing else you can imagine doing for the rest of your life.
 
Money--apply for every award you see. I've built a nice cushion of travel and research funding; a few grand a year typically. There are awards for all areas of work, in all scopes.
 
krisrox said:
Wow, everyone's talking about not having a life during app season and in grad school. Maybe I don't do enough work....
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Haha agreed!! Time management is truly a beautiful thing: if you really make the most of the time that you set aside for working, you can have just as much fun as you would otherwise. 🙂
 
Top 3 worries:

1) Making sure everything is perfect when I hit that 'submit' button or seal the envelope before heading to the post office. I'm terrified I'll forget something or not print/upload the right draft of an SOP, etc.

2) Ensuring that my LOR writers are on top of the deadlines. I made packets for them with everything they could need- deadlines in big bold letters, instructions for submitting online, etc. I even made a face-to-face visit this week, but only 1 out of 4 has submitted for my Nov 15 deadline. 🙁

3) Once apps are all in and it's out of my control- like others have said re: timing- what will happen with my boyfriend if/when I move? I know it sounds trivial, and if I were anyone reading this I'd roll my eyes, but it took us a year to get to a realllly good place, and I don't want to see it go down the drain. He's graduating in Dec, and is trying to find a job around here, but so far hasn't found anything. But that's the only part of moving that I feel iffy about. Otherwise, I look forward to new places and people. It's scary, but I've done it before and sometimes change is good.
 
jenn1015 said:
Haha agreed!! Time management is truly a beautiful thing: if you really make the most of the time that you set aside for working, you can have just as much fun as you would otherwise. 🙂
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This continues to be true during graduate school. We all like to whine about how busy we are, but we all do something social together at least once a week as a class, and most of us do social things or activities such as the gym multiple times a week too.
 
researchgirl said:
This continues to be true during graduate school. We all like to whine about how busy we are, but we all do something social together at least once a week as a class, and most of us do social things or activities such as the gym multiple times a week too.
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A very good point. You HAVE to unwind. I mean, how can we teach self-care if we don't practice it?? It also helps having an awesome cohort as I'm lucky enough to have 🙂
 
jenn1015 said:
Top 3 worries:

1) Making sure everything is perfect when I hit that 'submit' button or seal the envelope before heading to the post office. I'm terrified I'll forget something or not print/upload the right draft of an SOP, etc.

2) Ensuring that my LOR writers are on top of the deadlines. I made packets for them with everything they could need- deadlines in big bold letters, instructions for submitting online, etc. I even made a face-to-face visit this week, but only 1 out of 4 has submitted for my Nov 15 deadline. 🙁

3) Once apps are all in and it's out of my control- like others have said re: timing- what will happen with my boyfriend if/when I move? I know it sounds trivial, and if I were anyone reading this I'd roll my eyes, but it took us a year to get to a realllly good place, and I don't want to see it go down the drain. He's graduating in Dec, and is trying to find a job around here, but so far hasn't found anything. But that's the only part of moving that I feel iffy about. Otherwise, I look forward to new places and people. It's scary, but I've done it before and sometimes change is good.
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Re #3 -- I submitted one app with two mistakes...it happens. In my case I emailed the admissions contact to describe the errors and solicit advice. I was put in contact with the right folks to get the errors corrected -- one advantage of an on-line vs paper-based app. seems the manner in which errors get handled is of greater relevance than the errors themselves. That said, I totally sweated the details... And would rather have not had to make corrections after the fact of submitting. But -- Errors Happen In The Real World. In the best publications, in the best jazz, etc., etc...

I am much more anxious about mistakes on letters of reference...hard if not impossible to detect, correct and/or adjust to.

As a seasoned job searcher, I find that not getting interviews is the pits but getting interviews and no offers is nauseating. Then there's getting in and finding that despite my best efforts and everyone else's best efforts the match/fit is poor...That makes for very dark days.

That last one is really big for me now because at 40 something I have "a life" -- a family with two young kids, super-reasonable mortgage, decent job with benes for the whole family, cars, community standing... Returning to graduate school is a major decision for me and the stakes are too high to f up. I don't know what special challenges I'll face in adjusting to a role other than bread-winner. Putting my family through the hell of near-poverty is hard to justify, and I hope my mate is honestly ready to step up and be the bread winner for a while.

As for health, I've been through cancer and have my priorities straight about keeping healthy for the long haul...
 
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Buzzwordsoldier said:
That last one is really big for me now because at 40 something I have "a life" -- a family with two young kids, super-reasonable mortgage, decent job with benes for the whole family, cars, community standing... Returning to graduate school is a major decision for me and the stakes are too high to f up. I don't know what special challenges I'll face in adjusting to a role other than bread-winner. Putting my family through the hell of near-poverty is hard to justify, and I hope my mate is honestly ready to step up and be the bread winner for a while. ..
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Word. 31, partnered, mortgage, good job...eke, scary! I know it's worth it, though.
 
That's exactly it, if you keep putting off having fun until you're done with everything, you'll never stop doing work. So you kind of just have to set aside time for having fun/going out with friends.
 
until today, my worries were related to actually being in grad school, e.g., leaving my boyfriend/friends/parents when i move away to school, gaining weight, not measuring up academically. today i met with my pi and she informed me that the project manager had given her some negative feedback about me. i know it sounds paranoid but this woman has not liked me since the day we met. i have never had a problem with anyone in any research position i've held. my pi basically told me that my help isn't needed anymore. this pi just submitted my letters of rec. i am so scared that my letters from her reflect the project manager's review. if so, i think i'm screwed, despite the fact that my other two letters are excellent (former pi's at my undergrad institution). i am so mad and hurt, but at this point the damage is done.
 
IMHO, the best way to counter this is to be accepting and open to their criticisms, whether or not you believe them to be valid or reasonable. That is, you should inquire about the negative feedback and express genuine interest in how how you can correct it. I would even thank her for providing such blunt feedback and critsicms. I had a former supervior specifically write in a LOR that I was great canidate for the field because i was able to learn and self-reflect upon my (many?) flaws without becoming defensive. This is an asset that superviors like.
 
applebottom said:
until today, my worries were related to actually being in grad school, e.g., leaving my boyfriend/friends/parents when i move away to school, gaining weight, not measuring up academically. today i met with my pi and she informed me that the project manager had given her some negative feedback about me. i know it sounds paranoid but this woman has not liked me since the day we met. i have never had a problem with anyone in any research position i've held. my pi basically told me that my help isn't needed anymore. this pi just submitted my letters of rec. i am so scared that my letters from her reflect the project manager's review. if so, i think i'm screwed, despite the fact that my other two letters are excellent (former pi's at my undergrad institution). i am so mad and hurt, but at this point the damage is done.
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Ugh, that's awful. I'm sorry you had to deal with that.
 
jenn1015 said:
Top 3 worries:

1) Making sure everything is perfect when I hit that 'submit' button or seal the envelope before heading to the post office. I'm terrified I'll forget something or not print/upload the right draft of an SOP, etc.

2) Ensuring that my LOR writers are on top of the deadlines. I made packets for them with everything they could need- deadlines in big bold letters, instructions for submitting online, etc. I even made a face-to-face visit this week, but only 1 out of 4 has submitted for my Nov 15 deadline. 🙁

3) Once apps are all in and it's out of my control- like others have said re: timing- what will happen with my boyfriend if/when I move? I know it sounds trivial, and if I were anyone reading this I'd roll my eyes, but it took us a year to get to a realllly good place, and I don't want to see it go down the drain. He's graduating in Dec, and is trying to find a job around here, but so far hasn't found anything. But that's the only part of moving that I feel iffy about. Otherwise, I look forward to new places and people. It's scary, but I've done it before and sometimes change is good.
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Ditto on #2 and #3. My December 1st deadline is rapidly approaching and my 3rd writer seems to be MIA. I can't stalk him during office hours because I live in a different state.

I've been seeing someone for a little over a month now, so it's not serious, but it's going really well and it's frustrating that *if* I get into school, there's a good chance I'll be moving across the country. We're trying not to focus on the "ifs" right now but it's hard not to.

My biggest fear is that I have been working non-stop for 2.5 years to try to be a good applicant to clinical programs. I work a 40+ hour research job, worked on extra research projects outside of work, took night classes in psychology, went through all of the standardized testing (3x-- standard GRE twice, psych GRE once). And for the past few months I've stayed at my job, which I've come to hate, solely so that I can earn a paycheck to fund the application process. In short, this has been my entire life since I graduated from college. I know that if I don't get in I'm still a good person, etc. But it will be hard to not feel bad about all of the time I could have spent making friends or having fun but instead devoted to work and school.
 
1) The sick feeling in my stomach when I finally submit/send off an application. Brain starts working over-time and thinking of all the things I may have messed up, even though I proof read it about 72 times and had two others do the same!

2) Hoping the schools will recognise my degrees even though they're from another country and that the marking scheme I've included with my transcripts will be enough for them to know that a 70 and over is actually an A!!

3) Hunting down my one remaining LOR without being rude/ridiculuously persistant

4) Finances finances finances. Even had to fly abroad to take the GRE!!

5) Going through all this stress/panic/weight gain (!!!)/stress/not seeing friends/stress/money/stress (and did I mention stress) and getting rejected everywhere!!
 
thanks for the support and advice, guys. i don't want to go into much more detail here in case anyone i know frequents the forums, but i did talk with my pi and i think we came to a better understanding. i'm moving forward and hoping for the best!
 
I'm glad I found this website as I have no one that really understands what I'm going through. #5 is my biggest worry. I have devoted so much time, money and energy to this process and to not get in would be devestating. I can not wait until my first interview letter. I know it won't mean I got in but it will be a small glimmer of hope that I'm headed in the right direction. I'll go through this all over again next year if I have to because this is my dream.
 
hm...

well most of those things dont worry me, applications havent been stressful, the cost to apply was no more different than the other things I have applied for (i.e., med school). The thought of living as a poor graduate student doesnt scare me, I have been living like one since I started college at 16. Moving to a new place doesnt scare me, I have lived in 5 different states within the last 7-8 years, all of which were to areas where I didnt know anyone.

Not having a life doesnt scare me, having attended a year of med school, I know what not having a life is, and I am 99% sure that 1st yr psych isnt half as bad as 1st year med school, not saying psych students dont work as hard, I am just saying the rigors of course work is much worse.

Not getting in doesnt worry me either, I mean there are some sources of anxiousness, but not anxious of not getting in, purely anxious of WHERE I will get in. Its not an arrogance thing, I of course know there is always a chance of not getting in, I just figure if I do not get in somewhere, I can always do something and find happiness, I know I know we are supposed to be "miserable if I cannot go into psych" but lemme tell ya, happiness is a relative term, plain and simple, this would not be the end of the world if i do not get into a phd program.

I think this process has been extremely fun, playing the games, painting a portrait of yourself, next up interviewing and negotiating stipends etc, this is truly a process to be enjoyed, I think if you guys and girls can step back and take a moment, look at the subtle enjoyments of this process. Distress will only make things worse,

there is ALWAYS another way to what you want in life as long as you do not give up, so do not stress about it, be positive, be happy, and kick ass. Easy.

🙂
 
AlaskanJustin said:
hm...

I think this process has been extremely fun, playing the games, painting a portrait of yourself, next up interviewing and negotiating stipends etc, this is truly a process to be enjoyed,
🙂
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Good luck negotiating stipends...
 
Now that I've gotten some interview invites, I'm primarily scared of:

a) not getting any more (not because I'm not thrilled by the ones I've received--I am!--but because I know that they're far from guarantees)

b) not actually getting accepted anywhere.

c) the cost of interviews (which will be more than worth it if I get in, of course!).
 
AlaskanJustin said:
hm...

well most of those things dont worry me, applications havent been stressful, the cost to apply was no more different than the other things I have applied for (i.e., med school). The thought of living as a poor graduate student doesnt scare me, I have been living like one since I started college at 16. Moving to a new place doesnt scare me, I have lived in 5 different states within the last 7-8 years, all of which were to areas where I didnt know anyone.

Not having a life doesnt scare me, having attended a year of med school, I know what not having a life is, and I am 99% sure that 1st yr psych isnt half as bad as 1st year med school, not saying psych students dont work as hard, I am just saying the rigors of course work is much worse.

Not getting in doesnt worry me either, I mean there are some sources of anxiousness, but not anxious of not getting in, purely anxious of WHERE I will get in. Its not an arrogance thing, I of course know there is always a chance of not getting in, I just figure if I do not get in somewhere, I can always do something and find happiness, I know I know we are supposed to be "miserable if I cannot go into psych" but lemme tell ya, happiness is a relative term, plain and simple, this would not be the end of the world if i do not get into a phd program.

I think this process has been extremely fun, playing the games, painting a portrait of yourself, next up interviewing and negotiating stipends etc, this is truly a process to be enjoyed, I think if you guys and girls can step back and take a moment, look at the subtle enjoyments of this process. Distress will only make things worse,

there is ALWAYS another way to what you want in life as long as you do not give up, so do not stress about it, be positive, be happy, and kick ass. Easy.

🙂
Click to expand...

People actually negotiate stipends?...
 
AlaskanJustin said:
hm...

well most of those things dont worry me, applications havent been stressful, the cost to apply was no more different than the other things I have applied for (i.e., med school). The thought of living as a poor graduate student doesnt scare me, I have been living like one since I started college at 16. Moving to a new place doesnt scare me, I have lived in 5 different states within the last 7-8 years, all of which were to areas where I didnt know anyone.

Not having a life doesnt scare me, having attended a year of med school, I know what not having a life is, and I am 99% sure that 1st yr psych isnt half as bad as 1st year med school, not saying psych students dont work as hard, I am just saying the rigors of course work is much worse.

Not getting in doesnt worry me either, I mean there are some sources of anxiousness, but not anxious of not getting in, purely anxious of WHERE I will get in. Its not an arrogance thing, I of course know there is always a chance of not getting in, I just figure if I do not get in somewhere, I can always do something and find happiness, I know I know we are supposed to be "miserable if I cannot go into psych" but lemme tell ya, happiness is a relative term, plain and simple, this would not be the end of the world if i do not get into a phd program.

I think this process has been extremely fun, playing the games, painting a portrait of yourself, next up interviewing and negotiating stipends etc, this is truly a process to be enjoyed, I think if you guys and girls can step back and take a moment, look at the subtle enjoyments of this process. Distress will only make things worse,

there is ALWAYS another way to what you want in life as long as you do not give up, so do not stress about it, be positive, be happy, and kick ass. Easy.

🙂
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Wow Justin. I guess you're just one stress-free guy. For those who are stressing (just a bit), don't worry. It's normal to be stressed out when trying to reach your dreams. Good luck in your applications!🙂 Grad school can be fun (once you get there, that is).
 
richzeelv said:
People actually negotiate stipends?...
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all the people I have met coming from the NIH into clin psy phd programs have. i.e., They get into two programs, one gives better award offer but you really prefer the other school, so you try to get an equivalent financial support from that program... it does happen...

I am in no way stress free 🙂 just this isnt one of them... I understand why people might be stressed about it, but imagine NOT stressing but rather enjoying the process? shocking concept aye?
 
researchgirl said:
for #1, 4, & 5, i was there last year and wish you luck.

Now, i realize you might just be venting - but if you are really losing touch with friends and having trouble sticking to work out habits and good eating habits, i cannot stress to you enough to make changes now, even in the midst of stressful applications - make time for your friends, make time to eat and work out and sleep - and do it consistently. Because bad habits die hard and as cara susanna said, grad school is a much bigger time suck and headache than applying (although applying was probably slightly more anxiety-provoking).

Good luck!
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+1
 
AlaskanJustin said:
all the people I have met coming from the NIH into clin psy phd programs have. i.e., They get into two programs, one gives better award offer but you really prefer the other school, so you try to get an equivalent financial support from that program... it does happen...

I am in no way stress free 🙂 just this isnt one of them... I understand why people might be stressed about it, but imagine NOT stressing but rather enjoying the process? shocking concept aye?
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It occasionally happens, but I know some NIHers (and others) who haven't managed that, particularly in the last few years due to the economy. Programs don't have much wiggle room these days.

Focus on the short term -- one step at a time 🙂
 
researchgirl said:
for #1, 4, & 5, I was there last year and wish you luck.

now, i realize you might just be venting - but if you are really losing touch with friends and having trouble sticking to work out habits and good eating habits, i cannot stress to you enough to make changes NOW, even in the midst of stressful applications - make time for your friends, make time to eat and work out and sleep - and do it consistently. because bad habits die hard and as cara susanna said,grad school is a much bigger time suck and headache than applying (although applying was probably slightly more anxiety-provoking).

good luck!
Click to expand...



So true!...well not that I can talk because I am not in grad school but in the applying process. Its not the huge load of things that intimidates me the most but just the fact that I could go through all of it and still not get in...ahh! Plus finding people to get good LOR's from is pretty stressing too!
 
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